men‧u S3 /ˈmenjuː/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[Date: 1800-1900; Language: French; Origin: menu 'small, full of details', from Latin minutus; ⇨ ↑minute²]
1. a list of all the kinds of food that are available for a meal, especially in a restaurant:
Could we have the menu, please?
on the menu
Is there any fish on the menu?
a three course set menu (=dishes which you do not choose for yourself)
2. a list of things on a computer screen which you can ask the computer to do:
Select PRINT from the main menu.
pull-down/drop-down menu (=a list of choices which appears when you CLICK ON a place on the screen)
menu-driven (=operated by using a menu)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ read/study the menu Sandy read the menu, but didn’t see anything he wanted to eat.
▪ look at/see the menu (=read the menu) He looked at the menu and decided to have the salad.
▪ plan a menu (=decide what foods will be served) Erika began planning a menu for the dinner party.
▪ choose/order something from the menu He ordered a chicken dish from the menu.
▪ offer a menu The restaurant is offering a three-course menu for New Year’s Eve.
▪ have a good/long/unusual etc menu The new restaurant on Fifth Street has an excellent menu.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + menu
▪ extensive (=with many different dishes on it) The menu is extensive and adventurous.
▪ a dinner/lunch/breakfast menu There is an extensive dinner menu, and seafood is a speciality.
▪ a set/fixed menu (=when the cook decides which dishes will be served to you, rather than you choosing for yourself) Dinner is three courses from a set menu.
▪ an à la carte menu (=a menu listing many separate dishes which you choose from) In the evening there is a full à la carte menu.
▪ a children’s menu I asked the waiter if there was a children’s menu.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

menu

menu [menu menus] [ˈmenjuː] Click to play [ˈmenjuː] noun
1. a list of the food that is available at a restaurant or to be served at a meal
• to ask for/look at the menu

• What's on the menu (= for dinner) tonight?

2. (computing) a list of possible choices that are shown on a computer screen
• a pull-down menu
see also drop-down menu
Word Origin:
mid 19th cent.: from French, detailed list (noun use of menu ‘small, detailed’), from Latin minutus ‘very small’.
Collocations:
Restaurants
Eating out
eat (lunch/dinner)/dine/meet at/in a restaurant
go (out)/take sb (out) for lunch/dinner/a meal
have a meal with sb
make/have a reservation (in/under the name of Yamada)
reserve/ (especially BrE) book a table for six
ask for/request a table for two/a table by the window
In the restaurant
wait to be seated
show sb to their table
sit in the corner/by the window/at the bar/at the counter
hand sb/give sb the menu/wine list
open/read/study/peruse the menu
the restaurant has a three-course set menu/a children's menu/an extensive wine list
taste/sample/try the wine
the waiter takes your order
order/choose/have the soup of the day/one of the specials/the house (BrE) speciality/(especially NAmE) specialty
serve/finish the first course/the starter/the main course/dessert/coffee
complain about the food/the service/your meal
enjoy your meal
Paying
pay/ask for (especially BrE) the bill/(NAmE) the check
pay for/treat sb to dinner/lunch/the meal
service is (not) included
give sb/leave (sb) a tip
Example Bank:
• Chef Nigel Crowther will expand the menu to include several vegetarian options.
• Go to the topic menu in the upper right hand corner.
• Many menus now list ingredients.
• Many restaurants do a very reasonable set menu at lunchtime.
• May we have the menu?
• Passengers are offered a daily choice of menu.
• She completely changes her seasonal menus every few months.
• The chef was chalking the daily specials on the menu board.
• The menu changes daily.
• The restaurant changes its menu every six months.
• What's on the menu this evening?
• You'll find it in the topic menu.
• a menu offering many vegetarian dishes
• a ten-course tasting menu

• buttons that make it easy to navigate the on-screen menu

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

menu / ˈmen.juː / noun [ C ] (FOOD)

A2 a list of the food that you can eat in a restaurant:

The waiter brought the menu and the wine list.

What's on the menu today?

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

menu

[me̱njuː]
menus
1) N-COUNT: usu sing In a restaurant or café, or at a formal meal, the menu is a list of the meals and drinks that are available.
  A waiter offered him the menu...
  Even the most elaborate dishes on the menu were quite low on calories.
2) N-COUNT A menu is the food that you serve at a meal.
  Try out the menu on a few friends...
  The menu is all-important. Every component of every meal should create contrasts.
3) N-COUNT On a computer screen, a menu is a list of choices. Each choice represents something that you can do using the computer.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

menu

menu /ˈmɛnˌjuː/ noun, pl men·us [count]
1 a : a list of the foods that may be ordered at a restaurant
• I'd like to see your lunch menu, please.
• What's good on the menu today?
• There are two chicken dishes under eight dollars listed on the menu.
b : the foods that are served at a meal
• When you're planning a dinner party, the choice of (the/your) menu is very important.
2 : a list of things that you can choose from
• a menu of television programs especially; computers : a list shown on a computer from which you make choices to control what the computer does
• You can save your work by choosing “Save” from the “File” menu.
- see also drop-down menu, pull-down menu